The Real World: Los Angeles!
by elise-riggs
Summary: This is the true story of 7 strangers, picked to live in a house, work together and have their lives taped, to find out what happens when people stop being polite, and start getting real." Canon Pairings. Twilight/Mtv's The Real World Crossover
1. meet bella and meet jasper

**Complete Summary:** "This is the true story of seven strangers, picked to live in a house, work together and have their lives taped, to find out what happens when people stop being polite... and start getting _real_." Canon Pairings. OOC moments, because this _is_ fanfiction, and I'm not Stephenie Meyer. Rated for language and later chapters.  
**Other Important Details:** Story is told completely in THIRD PERSON. Appearances of cameras are mentioned. My personal writing is not based on experience, therefore some things may not be completely fact in regards to the inner workings of _The Real World_. This piece of writing may or may not delve into political, religious, and sexual orientation views, but they are not my own. THIS IS FANFICTION. A cross over of Twilight and _The Real World_; so, as you may know, touchy subjects are often presented. If you have not heard of _The Real World_, fear not, it's on Wednesday nights on MTV. The complete summary basically gives the gist of the show though.  
Before I continue writing this story, I'd really like to know whether or not I'm writing to wallpaper, so reviews are really appreciated... especially if you want an update! Thanks so much! :)

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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. _The Real World_ television concept and set up belongs to MTV.

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_Okay, this is weird_, Bella thought as she retrieved her luggage from port J3 in LAX. Cameras. Being in front of them was quite the nerve-wracking experience – if not a little awkward. But… Bella had indeed signed up for this.

_Just pretend they're not there_, she repeated in her head the orders given by the first producer she met, Chet. Of course this was all easier said than done.

Bella had researched several _Real World_ alumni, and in interviews their responses were all the same. "You get used to the cameras. By the second week it's like they're not even there."

Really? Bella eyed a sound man as he chewed his gum in a tight, silent rhythm. How could she possibly get used to _this_? Out of her peripheral vision she noticed someone shaking their head. It was Chet, and he was frantically trying to draw her tension elsewhere. _Right_, Bella thought as she turned her face forward and exited the building.

Los Angeles was blindingly bright and utterly busy. It was hot too. It might sound a little silly; what with the area being nothing less than a concrete jungle, but Bella couldn't help but admire the blue, cloudless skies and the never ending rows of palm trees. It was a nice change from the rainy Pacific Northwest.

The cameras left as she entered her taxi, giving the driver the directions Chet had. She was supposed to meet a Jasper Whitlock at some bus stop. Her first roommate.

Bella sighed as she rested her head against the upholstery of her seat. This would most likely be the last moment of peace from the cameras for quite some time now. It was said that being on _The Real World_ was something quite similar to being a fish in a fishbowl. And she was only beginning to understand this.

Many people wouldn't understand her reasoning behind joining this show, it's not like she was getting paid some enormous amount. Bella had seen the show before, seen the arguments, the violence, the tears, why _would_ she join? Not only had she been educated on what occurred on screen, but also off. She was aware that they wouldn't be able to pick their own food to stock the fridge. While others might enjoy a break from the responsibility, Bella was aware of the negative side of this too.

She had to sign contracts. She had to be susceptible to being kicked out. She had to be viable for her own mistakes, and responsible for others. It was all part of being a "family" as the producers had put it… and to make sure cast members didn't sue.

On top of all these added responsibilities, Bella had to quit her job and leave everything but a jumbo suitcase behind.

So why _did_ she join? By now it should be fairly obvious that being on _The Real World_ isn't all that it's put up to be.

Well, to put it simply, Bella just wanted to get away. Life had thrown a lot at her these past few months. And she couldn't understand _why_. Bella was acutely aware that everything happened for a reason, but what if that reason wasn't good enough? What if, when her parents died, the only reason out there was because a drunk driver ran a red light? Wouldn't that just be utterly disappointing? It may be true, but did nothing to help the heart.

What if Mike just cheated on her because he was bored with her? That would be a reason, a true, plausible reason - but at the same time, it still didn't help the pain.

_Screw it_, Bella thought. She impulsively decided then that the saying, "Everything happens for a reason." was the most ill thought through, dejected philosophy ever spoken. _Yes_, everything _does_ happen for a reason, but very rarely are they the reasons that bring happiness to your life, or give you a warm feeling inside that lets you know someone is watching over you. The fact of the matter is, Bella's parents died in a car accident while on their way to her house because Bella had some "news" to share. The "news" was that she and Mike were going to be married. That evening, when Bella was worried because her parents were late, Mike showed up and chickened out. Bella accepted this fine –thinking that he just wanted to put off being engaged - but when Mike told her he was seeing someone else, and didn't want to hurt her further, she left. On her way out, she got the phone call.

Yes, everything does happen for a reason. Bella's parents dying and Mike's cheating are perfect –if not a little ironic–examples of said fact. So, with nothing left but a broken heart and her parent's bills, Bella decided to do something a little spontaneous. She signed up to be on the upcoming season of _The Real World_. Thinking that she had a shot, Bella filmed her audition tape. Only after sending it in did she laugh at her chances. She didn't worry or fret for quite some time afterwards. No, that part came in when she received an acceptance notice followed by a phone call.

Her first feelings were, _what have I done_? Self conscious thoughts crept in, followed by an angry dash of pessimism. The truth was in front of her, right there in print. There was no possible way to deny it. With this new piece of knowledge, Bella began thinking. At first, her initial answer was "no." _Absolutely _not. But then she took in her surroundings, even her present condition in life. She had to be honest with herself, it sucked. She sat down and thought long and hard. She groaned in embarrassment while watching her audition tape again. But that girl she saw in there wasn't anything like the girl she was now. Such a quick transformation, yes, but the girls were indeed different. One was desperate, broken, and abnormally bubbly. The other was broken, but fantastically talented at hiding it. Bella began thinking in a mad rush of thoughts as to _why_ she sent in the silly audition tape in the first place.

She wanted to get _away_. Indeed, she had changed, but her situation had not. There were still bills to pay, still the nights where she would cry herself to sleep over Mike (even though she knew she shouldn't), still the times where she would have a bad day at work and wonder when she'd ever just get a job that she liked.

And here, staring her in the face was an opportunity to get away. She could leave this place, both physically and mentally, and clear her head, get her bearings, live a little… be different.

As soon as her decision was made, she felt happy… for the first time in a very long time. After that, as the days passed and turned into weeks, more preparations were made. She felt herself becoming excited, truly excited. And then the night before she left she felt nervous. Butterflies were fluttering around in her stomach with wild abandon, the way they would when she had a choir concert she was looking forward to.

And as she sat in her window seat and gazed down at the desolate land beneath her, she began feeling lucky. Yes, Bella Swan was feeling lucky. And she couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't felt this way _before_. How many young adults–desperate for the opportunity to party uninterrupted for three months–would want to be in her position right now? Even the ones that hadn't auditioned, even the ones who didn't know the show even existed (rare as they may be) would give so much to be in her shoes. And as the plane began it's descent into Los Angeles, Bella felt a wave of gratefulness.

She was lucky.

Bella knew her ride was coming to an end before the driver slowed down. There was a tall young man sitting casually atop a bench, with a jumbo suitcase in tow. Bella smiled involuntarily. Her first family member.

Cliché, maybe, but Bella couldn't wait to form friendships with her fellow roommates. She knew that there would most likely be drama involved, but she also knew that many times, people walked away from the house with lifelong friendships. And Bella couldn't wait to start.

Quickly, before she exited the cab, Bella began reciting some of the guidelines Chet had explained to her. They were all simple and easy to follow, but she knew that it would take time to perfect them. His number one rule was to just pretend the cameras weren't there, but, being sympathetic, he understood this could often be a difficult task. So he enforced other rules if the number one rule couldn't be accomplished.

Don't mention the rules.

Don't mention the cameras.

Speak with others as you would if no one was there, with the exception of keeping things "real."

Keep formalities pleasant, there will be time for drama afterwards.

Ask obvious questions that enable easier characterizations for the show.

If we stop, you stop.

These were the first set of rules I learned. Chet explained to me that as the show would progress, others would be enforced. These rules weren't house rules that _had_ to be followed, but in order for the show to continue smoothly, they _should_ be followed.

I didn't argue with him.

The driver exited the car and began unpacking my luggage. The young man stood up. I took a deep breath and stepped outside. He smiled hugely at me as he held out his hand.

"Hi, are you Bella Swan?" Good, they told him the name I preferred to be called.

I smiled shyly. He was very good looking, and his southern accent oddly added to the charm. "Yes, pleased to meet you… Jasper?"

He nodded. "That's me."

Jasper was a little nervous to meet his new roommate. He wasn't quite prepared for her beauty, but his natural charm broke out and cured his shyness the moment she stepped out of the car. He liked her already.

Another taxi magically appeared as soon as Bella's left. Jasper had to remind himself not to mention the fact.

"So where are you from?" he asked to start some sort of conversation.

"Forks, Washington." Bella stated quietly. Jasper had to lean in to hear her correctly. So she was shy. Jasper had figured as much as soon as she shook his hand. "What about you?"

He smiled, feeling pride for his home. "Richmond, Virginia. Born and raised."

Jasper was an only child. His father was a public defender and his mother inherited a fraction of her grandfather's old fortune, setting her for life. He had an average childhood. After graduating high school he studied philosophy at a local university before coming to the decision to join the army. By the age of twenty he was sent overseas to Iraq. Stationed there for four years he participated in many difficult missions and had seen a lot. Loosing friends and acquaintances became regular after a while. Seeing things that he thought only existed in video games became a weekly occurrence. Serving in Iraq matured him greatly, but it had its own negative side effects. Jasper believed himself to be lucky, though. After returning home he started writing things down, getting all the images out on paper. Sometimes he spent days trapped in his room, just writing, writing and thinking. It was a difficult time for him - getting used to being home, seeing all the things he once considered normal, reliving things he had grown to know. And then, writing wasn't enough for him anymore, and he began talking. Starting with his mother, who said she understood but he knew didn't, moving onto his girlfriend, who he found out didn't _want_ to hear. Then, he regained regular contact with some of the friends he had served with. They were the only ones that could truly understand. They lived it too.

For a while, Jasper found himself at peace with things. Things like that though, never last.

The first friend he lost contact with was Peter. Even though Jasper was under the impression that Peter was fine, things aren't always as they seem. There was something darker haunting him, and sometimes there isn't a clear reason as to why people do the things they do, sometimes it's just vague enough to let you know it was done on purpose. Peter shot and killed himself, leaving behind an expecting wife.

Jasper couldn't explain clearly to anyone why Peter was affected harder than he. The only thing clear to him was that he was okay. Jasper had so far been considered normal amongst other soldiers sent home with him, and he knew he was lucky to be thought so. He still had his troubles, but instead of keeping them inside, he let them out. Of course the memories never truly left him undisturbed, but he had learned to accept them… in his own way.

Jasper was engaged once. And often times when he thought back to the woman he had given his heart to, a reflexive, sad smile would often break out on his face. Not in happiness, nor sadness or bitterness, just acceptance. Jasper had loved Maria with the kind of love that shielded its flaws by the simple fact that it was new. They were both naïve and smitten with each other but their flame was bound to die out after time… and distance. Maria had stayed by Jasper faithfully while was away at war. It was this loyalty that fooled Jasper into thinking she was right for him. They were engaged for one month exactly. The case opened just as soon as it closed. It was simple really. Maria didn't love him anymore. She didn't want to be attached to him any longer. And though Jasper bowed out respectively, he couldn't hide his hurt. This hurt, though, never turned to anger.

Jasper instead began feeling thankful for this heartbreaking trial. He did love her, yes, but as much as he once believed so, she wasn't the one for him. If the breakup wasn't enough to prove this, little things in the past were. Maria was there for him, and she said that she loved him and she kissed him and kept him company in the nights. But sometimes, when Jasper said that he loved her… he didn't feel anything.

He wasn't can't-live-without-you in love with her, and he knew this.

Sometimes when Jasper would tell her something truly personal to him, she wouldn't react in anyway that said she was touched or had sympathy. She did the usual soothing rub on the back, whispered her apologies and did all things aimed to comfort him, but when Jasper looked into her eyes with the enormity of his feelings, he was met with distant ones.

But even though he knew that his love for her wasn't as desperate as it used to be, he stayed with her. Just because their feelings were no longer running deep didn't mean he didn't still care for her immensely. She was his first _everything_. He had an attachment to her like no other. That's why it hurt to break things off, even when he knew it was for the best.

They didn't end bitterly, but no longer kept in touch.

Jasper didn't like to dwell on that fact though. He knew that after things ended with Maria, he was at a turning point in his life. It was time for him to settle down into an actual career and start thinking more about the future than dwelling on the past.

But, there was always the chance of Jasper being recalled back into the military. He had a little under four years of uncertainty ahead of him. Did this scare him? Of course. But shortly after being discharged, Jasper learned that worrying about this fact would only ruin his time at home. So, like with other things in his life, he came to accept it.

But, a turning point is a turning point, and Jasper was becoming more and more aware of the fact that his time to let loose and be young was quickly running out. He never truly regretted joining the military, it had matured him in many ways and taught him many things, but on top of the emotional trauma suffered - it _did_ take away what could have been the very best, alcohol-filled years of his life.

So… he did something kind of crazy.

It was a silly self preservation act of sorts, joining _The Real World_. He knew that he wouldn't have much longer to just enjoy being young, and he didn't want to grow up any faster than he already was, so he sent an audition tape in. The odd feeling that he was accepted was confirmed one day with an envelope and a call. And then a smile turned into a breathless, disbelieving chuckle, which turned into a full on burst of laughter that could be heard across the hall and into the next apartment.

"That's nice," Bella said softly, breaking him out of his reverie. Their bags were loaded into the back and soon they were off to the house.

"So tell me about yourself, Bella." Jasper suggested while stretching out in the space provided, trying to ignore the large camera pressed a few inches from his face. It shifted to Bella.

She met his eyes once before continuing. "Well, I'm twenty-two years old. I majored in Biology while in college, yet now that I've graduated, can't seem to find an immediate use for this knowledge."

Bella felt this shed enough light on her current situation. In her eyes, this statement said: "I hate every job I've stayed at, yet can't keep the ones I can tolerate for the life of me."

Jasper laughed. "Did you plan on going into the medical field?" He raised his eyebrows while leaning into her. Bella instinctually leaned back, before correcting her mistake and relaxing.

She had nothing against Jasper so far. In fact, he was very attractive and nothing but polite since she had met him, but she tended to get shy and reclusive while meeting new people. Just another reason she joined the show, an attempt to gain better people skills.

She smiled sadly before nodding. "I actually wanted to be a veterinarian." Shrugging, she turned and met his curious eyes. "Just not in the cards for me right now."

Jasper nodded, understanding by the way Bella spoke and held herself that it was a topic to be touched later. He wasn't going to push anything.

Sensing that she wanted a subject change, he grinned before speaking.

"Yeah, anything medicinal sounds extremely challenging. I don't think I'd be dedicated enough to study it." He had a feeling that probably wasn't her reason.

Bella breathed a laugh. "Is there anything interesting about you?" Her voice rose at the end.

Jasper shrugged, figuring that it was an appropriate time to share his previous position in Iraq. They'd all find out eventually…

"I fought in Iraq a few months back, just got discharged."

Bella's features changed immediately, first disbelief, before switching over to a more calm form. "Really? That's interesting." she breathed.

He smiled back at her briefly, knowing that she wasn't going to be one of _those_ people who pretended that they knew or showered him with praise before they even understood what he did. Jasper wasn't ashamed of sharing this piece of information, just more over afraid that people would treat him differently once they knew.

They chatted briefly on the topic for a few more minutes, and Jasper was grateful to find that Bella wasn't following the stereotype. He briefly wondered if he'd be this lucky with the rest of his roommates. If anything, he was sure he'd always have Bella, who was proving to be an easy going girl that Jasper could see himself confiding with in the future.

Bella, thankfully, saw the same thing in him.

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Aw, thanks so much for reading! If you have any questions just ask. :)


	2. meet edward and meet alice

**Complete Summary:** "This is the true story of seven strangers, picked to live in a house, work together and have their lives taped, to find out what happens when people stop being polite... and start getting _real_." Canon Pairings. OOC moments, because this _is_ fanfiction, and I'm not Stephenie Meyer. Rated for language and later chapters.

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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. _The Real World_ television concept and set up belongs to MTV.

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Edward waited patiently on the pier for his roommate. He had just flown in a half hour ago and had been wandering around for the last ten minutes taking in the monotonous sunny skies, soaking in the heat provided in his dark snowboarding jacket. _Why the hell did I wear this_, he thought to himself.

It was quite literally his safety jacket, and he underestimated the heat he would soon endure from the sun. _Guess I'm not in Kansas anymore_, he mused sarcastically as he took in the people before him. The women were all tan and pretty, the men all in shape and by the looks of it… metro. So many different fashions, all packed into four feet of about sixteen people. He thought the people looked quite ridiculous in their UGG boots and short-shorts, gladiator sandals and tight, Hollister shirts.

Los Angeles, California.

…where every stereotype is correct.

Edward scolded himself for judging too quickly. He really should just be happy and let loose… after all that _is_ what he came here for.

Letting loose.

Edward Cullen had just completed his pre-med education at the University of Washington. A young man with high hopes of becoming an ENT Doctor one day, Edward focused on his studies quite religiously, and was never one for an exorbitant social life. Silly, really, because isn't that what college was about? Here you were, supposed to finally be in control of your responsibilities, meaning: partying on weeknights when it would otherwise be frowned upon at home.

It made sense, really. In high school they drilled upon him all the requirements that would set him apart from the _rest_ when applying to college and medical school. Start early.

Edward was taking all honors' courses his freshmen year, and the load never let up, rather, it increased exponentially.

So when college finally came around, you'd think he had accomplished enough of the prerequisites to just relax and enjoy college for what it really was.

Quite the contrary actually, Edward exceeded his limits, and pushed himself past what he thought he'd accomplish in a year, hell, _two_ years. He juggled two majors and still managed to maintain at _least_ a 3.9 cumulative GPA. The thought of staying on the same boat as everyone else with his aspirations made him anxious. The thought of getting _ahead_ made him downright edgy… edgy to get there. And once he had exceeded one limit, he just couldn't stop. It became quite obsessive compulsive for him as the months grew on, and he knew it.

But he couldn't resist.

So he pushed and pushed himself until pretty soon he had no real friends at all, just acquaintances in classes, previous roommates.

Don't even get started on girls.

Sure, he got the attention but it never lasted. Girls preyed on his looks, but they weren't going to waste their time fighting for a guy that wouldn't even look up from a textbook long enough to say a two syllable word. Hello.

His parents worried about him, but what could they possibly do? Scold him for studying too hard? The thought seemed downright preposterous.

They understood that Edward had always been serious about what he wanted, but they never really grasped just how much until he started his collegiate education. So… they let him be. As long as he maintained a healthy weight and called on a weekly basis, they would leave him to his own responsibilities.

They never had to worry about his grades.

Edward didn't want to seem pathetic, but he had graduated a few months ago and that was all he could feel. Of course, he wasn't pathetic. He had graduated with honors and gotten acceptance to a select few of the nation's top medical schools, including the one his father went to. This was the polar opposite of pathetic. Edward was extremely accomplished, and he had that thing on his applications that set him apart from the rest. The thing that flashed like a neon sign among the rest of the cluttered papers on the dean of admissions desk.

He had it. And he worked hard for it.

But four years of his college life, the ones with all the douche bags drinking and not having a care in the world, were gone. They wouldn't be joining him next semester in medical school. Next time he'd open a syllabus, he'd been in a different state, surrounded by a bunch of stuck up know-it-all snobs like him.

The competition would be fierce but Edward was thoroughly prepared, even though he'd be missing the first semester of classes.

Because he was in Los Angeles.

And he was on _The Real World_.

The proof was right there, really. His jumbo suitcase was a constant reminder. Oh, and his shadow_s_ - cameraman, Jack, soundman who's name Edward couldn't bring himself to remember, and an assistant monitoring his every move. _Yep_, Edward thought, _the gangs all here._

It was this small inkling of missing out that provoked Edward to join _The Real World_. Now, it wasn't, "Oh, I feel pathetic for being a social recluse. I think I'll join a reality TV show!"

Not at all.

In any case, Edward was extremely serious about his studies. Making the decision to skip out on his first semester of medical school wasn't as easy as flipping a coin. In fact, he had planned on going right away in the fall… like all the other, eager-to-be-doctors.

It was the _planned_ thing to do.

It was the _logical_ thing to do.

It was the _expected_ thing to do.

He didn't do it, obviously.

It was the summer after graduation, and he was just a serious about his decision to join medical school in the fall. It was inevitable to him. Being hit by a bus couldn't stop him.

But a change of heart could.

A visit to his parent's house, which seemed inconsequential at the time, ended up changing the current course of his life.

Edward had finally seen the effect his father's career had on his home life. Always running in and out, always tired and out of breath, usually crabby after a particularly trying shift. The days were never long enough.

His mother was always faithful, quiet and understanding. She had been with him since his residency after all, and had grown used to the sporadic schedule and evenings alone.

Of course it wasn't all cloudy days at home. Being a doctor was highly rewarding and some days Carlisle's mood reflected that fact.

But as Edward's stay lengthened, he saw that those days were few and far between, especially with Carlisle's line of practice.

The job was wearing on him and Edward could see that clearly.

Of course Carlisle still had the American dream, successful career, beautiful wife and prodigy child. Edward saw this and understood it clearly.

But this pathetic feeling that was just a stirring before, quickly molded into something else entirely.

Edward had slaved away for eight years, had become an adult much sooner than was required. He lost those years where it was acceptable for him to screw up and get blind drunk and have a one night stand. Sure, people still did that well into their late twenties, but that's just the _real_ definition of pathetic.

In the coming fall, he would lose the "acceptable" factor of committing such acts. This was the time to really grow up, to say goodbye to letting loose. _Now_ was when he had to focus the most.

And Edward felt… scared.

He was so ready to grow up before, so ready to have responsibilities and goals like an adult. He never wasted any time doing things that people his age did.

He missed out on it entirely.

Did it pay off though? All those long nights of studying, torturous afternoons in lectures, missed opportunities, forgotten phone numbers, disappointed faces met with an indifferent one, countless trips to the eye doctor for a new prescription, missed phone calls, lost chances…

_Yes_.

Edward was one hundred percent positive that it was indeed, all worth it.

He had gotten what he had been fighting for since the second he stepped foot into Biology honors, freshmen year, all those years ago.

Now all he had to do was fight some more, _just_ a _little more_, compared to all he had done before. Then pull through his first year as an intern, followed by a five year residency…

None of the whole "meeting the standards" thing mattered now. He had made it. He had enough cred in the medical schooling world to make it anywhere he wanted, whenever he wanted. Sure, his _true_ dream was still years away… but he could see it.

This all got him thinking though, as he spent his last few days in the comfort of home, which was quickly becoming an unfamiliar universe.

Edward had always used a simple method, one that was commonly seen in most workouts. "Just one more." "Just one more crunch" "Just one more lap."

And after that "one more" was completed, he'd repeat the mantra in his head again. He was always, in his mind, working towards _one_ goal. "Just re-read the section one more time." "Just repeat the inner ear cochlea subparts _one more time_."

He found that this method worked.

He used it all the way to where he was now.

But there was a mild flaw to his golden mantra.

Although he always had his true goal in the back of his mind, focusing on the smaller ones until the eventual bigger ones were completed blinded him from some very important things.

The obvious one being he was missing out on a _lot_ of things, no matter how insignificant they seemed to him at the time.

Then there was the fact of the entire career itself. Sure, if he used this mantra through the rest of his medical education, it would surly work just as well as it did for him before.

But what happens when he finally gets to his true dream?

All his life whenever he was set with something, and there was no way he could get any better at his level, he climbed up again, exceeding everyone's limits and racing to the top.

So what would happen when Edward finally became an ENT Doctor - years of residency and internships and schooling in the past - what would he do?

Would he strive to get higher?

Would he get his MBA?

Would he accept that this was his fate, and that all his hard work really, truly, _finally_ paid off?

Or, would he become so drained and tired after his first few years of work that he would come to… come to regret his decision of studying so hard and growing up so fast before he had to?

Even though Edward didn't want to think to hard about the topic, after all, it was a long way in the future, he still became scared of it.

And out of all the other certainties in Edward's life that he had come to accept, there was one that he just couldn't quite come to terms with yet.

His years of letting loose were running out.

Hell, they might be gone already.

For the remainder of Edward's stay with his parents, he had a number of epiphanies.

And these epiphanies sort of all tumbled together into a huge snowball that hit him with the full force of realization.

His time wasn't out yet. No matter how he liked to once think otherwise.

Sure, logically, it was. Medical school was just around the corner, there shouldn't be any backing out now.

But back out he did…

Edward saw his father, and he was never happy for longer than three hours, he had timed it.

And Edward had accepted that this would one day, most likely, become his fate.

But Carlisle had his younger years to look back on, and often he would bore Edward with the details.

Edward realized that this was the only way for him to stay sane as he grew older. He needed to have memories of a time when life wasn't always like this. Edward didn't want to regret not being young while he could.

He knew all along that his parents were worried that he was missing out, so for once, he humored them… with pleasure.

They looked at him with uneasy smiles and furrows of brows in confusion when he announced he wanted to join _The Real World_. This wasn't exactly the way they had planned on watching him enjoy being young.

But, again, Edward was set on something. And there was no stopping him, especially once he got accepted.

It sounded insane, out of character, preposterous!

And it was _insane_.

It was _highly_ out of character.

But Edward was still going on the high of all his epiphanies that he really couldn't bring himself to care.

How preposterous!

He had watched _The Real World_ shamelessly as he grew up. It was a silly little obsession he had. Edward couldn't understand why he liked the show so much. TV wasn't quite his forte. But sometimes, when he wasn't busy studying or making a poster, he'd watch a few episode reruns.

There were things Edward liked and disliked about the show. He didn't always like the characters, but that was always a given. He didn't like how some episodes were blown out of proportion. But, he also knew that there was more sometimes than what met the eye.

So sometimes the drama wouldn't always be "real", Edward knew that. Sometimes fights were purposely provoked by producers.

But once the camera's stopped rolling, and the roommates went back to the actual "real world", Edward could sense that there were genuine friendships between the cast members, no matter what happened in the past.

There were bound to be disagreements. Throw a group of people in a cage for a year and Edward could bet they all wouldn't come out alive. That's just human nature though, the kind Edward understood. Someone's _always_ bound to go mad.

But along with that, he believed that some bonds were genuine. And sometimes, he longed to have friendships like that. Sometimes. For the most part, he could get by with the small group he sat with at lunch.

Edward just wanted to try something different.

And he couldn't think of a better way at the time.

He just hoped that this didn't blow up in his face as time wore on.

That would be the last thing he needed. Missing out on a semester of medical school for nothing but a bad taste in his mouth.

No… he wanted this trip to be worth it.

The sound of hurried footsteps broke him out of his musing.

Golden sandals came into view below him, with small, perfectly pedicured feet inside.

He looked up and was met with an excited, perhaps disbelieving, smile.

Alice.

She clapped her hands together as he smiled in greeting.

"I'm Alice! You must be Edward!" She grabbed his hand with both of hers and shook excitedly.

Edward smiled. "Nice to meet you, Alice,"

Her whole face lit up.

Edward stepped back a little bit and pulled his hand away. Reflex reaction. He was a bit taken aback by the energy she radiated. Well, that and he was shy.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" she exclaimed, grabbing her luggage and leading them towards the parking lot… where there was a magical vehicle waiting.

Edward nodded. "It is pretty cool."

"So where are you from?" Alice asked curiously.

"Chicago," he sighed.

She smiled and her eyes grew wide. "Really? That's so cool. The windy city!"

Alice always did this. Ask a question. Make a comment in response, then… explode in some story or another, whether in relation or not.

"I'm from Greenwich, Connecticut, most boring stuck up city you could ever possibly grow up in." She giggled to herself at the memories.

Alice was a lot of things. A rollercoaster of traits, a monument of personalities, a vault of stories. Sure, she grew up in a boring town but she had quite the rebellious childhood. What else is there to do in a town like Greenwich?

She went to private school for the vast majority of her education, where the girls were anything but _nice_. Alice didn't let it get to her though. She held her chin high, mostly so she could just smell trouble easier.

Ah, yes, trouble.

Alice loved it. All kinds of it.

She didn't know why, she didn't know who, what, where or when, she just knew that she woke up one morning – in her crib at the age of two, most likely – and decided to rebel.

She purposely provoked her parents as a child, drawing on the walls, drawing over the drawings on the walls, taking her father's diplomas down from the walls and hiding them, getting dirt under her nails, emptying the pantry on binges.

All innocent, yes.

As she grew older and had more options in school, well, she found that it was just too easy to make teachers flustered. They didn't have any _real_ authority over her, just an allusion of fear. It didn't faze her at all and to make the days go quicker she was the class clown. And even though this made teachers hate her for disrupting class, it made other students like her - enjoy her company, _invite_ her to parties.

Alice didn't like _this_ attention.

She didn't want her friends to be snobs after all.

And that was all that private school offered.

So almost as soon as the wise cracks began, they ended. She lost the humor and gained an attitude, one that involved knowing smirks and a decrease in verbal response.

Alice had this method in school. She only did homework for the teachers she liked. And since she either hated or really hated her teachers, she really didn't participate much in that field.

Her parents grew angry instead of worried about her, and insisted they tell her what was going on. Of course, nothing was going on. Alice was just the way she was… because.

Although, her parents could take a majority of the blame, now that Alice thought about it. They didn't love her, they didn't ignore her, they didn't treat her like a child, they didn't neglect her. They just raised her in a very distant way. What every kid wants right? A break from the suppression?

_Ha_, Alice thought.

She didn't hate them, but after her rebellious years in private middle school, she got the itch that they hated her.

So, they enrolled her into public school. She wouldn't tell them what was wrong, so they used their logic and thought maybe public school would be better.

When is public school _ever_ better?

Alice loved it.

Of course she did.

The snobs were still there, but the monotony was not. There were the scene kids, the jocks, the drama club, the weird ones with a vast knowledge of pop culture, the pretty virgins, the sluts, the science club… tons of groups to choose from. And not everyone had money.

And she actually _liked_ a few of her teachers. Not all of them, because that wouldn't be cool, but just enough to maintain a 3.0 GPA her freshmen year.

Her freshmen year, first ever in a public school.

A lot of things happened.

Alice didn't _hate_ that time period in her life, she just had had her better days…

So, when Alice thought about those things, because she was young she could just write them off as that… "I was young and silly and I didn't know any better." Yeah, right. When she did think about them, it was kind of like taking off a bandage, quick and easy reminiscence, then back to the present.

Alice became bisexual, got a lower back tattoo and pierced her nose.

By the time she was a sophomore she had a steady girlfriend.

Just before her junior year started, she got wasted… and for the first time… busted.

She didn't go back to public school after that.

No, after that, her parents had had enough and enrolled her back into private school. Alice just laughed and hoped they learned her lesson. She didn't care about switching schools again; she could always have a good time if she tried. Taunting pretty rich girls and making them think they had flaws could be _so_ much fun.

It was an all girls private school.

One morning at a bus stop, Alice met a guy, an _older_ guy. He was nineteen years old.

She became straight that day, and decided to never go back to girls. _They could be so fricken' annoying_, she finally realized.

So, Alice totally dated an older guy for two years. And after her high school graduation, she lost her virginity to that guy… the day of her eighteenth birthday.

The day after that, she dumped him. She couldn't really say she loved him, after two years together though, how could she not?

But, she wasn't ready to settle down yet.

He was.

Alice never found out she broke his heart. At the time, she thought the feeling was mutual.

She was wrong.

But, she moved on obliviously. Not a lot happened that could go down in true Alice Adventure history.

She enrolled into a local college with hopes of one day becoming a hair dresser. To pay for her lifestyle of buying from Sephora, she got a job at Urban Outfitters.

She made a few friends, but never dated again.

She mooched off her parents and stayed in the guesthouse across the pool.

And then she got bored and did something that wasn't out of character.

In fact, if she had her own television show where she did something that would seem ridiculous all the time, but normal to her, it would be called: _That's _so_ Alice_. And it would be the exact phrase used at least fifty times in an episode, especially the one where she chose to be on _The Real World_.

Her friends weren't at all shocked.

And neither was she when she got accepted. Hello, she winked and said at the end "I cause drama."

Of course, the producers thought that the drama would be with the housemates.

Alice wasn't at all interested in budding heads with her roommates, no.

She was interested in seeing how far she could go in breaking rules that would get the producers to threaten her.

Why?

Because even though she had been a rebel all her life from the time she was two, and had many crazy conquests under her belt, she still had that bug.

She loved trouble.

Alice had to constantly remind herself not to look at the camera, thought it was _so_ tempting. And it would probably get her in trouble, but that would be a silly way to enforce her plan. She couldn't possibly think of rebelling on the _first day_. Immature. _Being a true rebel takes wits_, Alice thought.

Once inside the car Alice was having trouble containing her enthusiasm, clapping at the sunroof above them and asking the driver to open it. When Alice felt like it, she could be a very overly happy person.

And right now, there was absolutely no reason not to be happy. She had three months ahead of herself, virtually responsible free, and she could party! She sighed as she rested her head against the head rest. _This is what I need_, she thought.

Alice may not know what she was looking for at the moment, but being here, she found out what she needed.

Tired of the silence Alice dove right into a story that she had been dying to share.

She turned to Edward, who looked pleasantly content. She smiled; he seemed like a shy guy. She liked those ones. But he was a borderline ginger, and that was a turn off for Alice. She knew immediately that they'd just be friends.

"Okay, so I was at the airport and there was this guy who was standing in front of this carpeted support beam and he was waiting for his wife and—"

Edward looked on with subtle amusement at Alice. The first of his roommates for him to meet. And he liked her personality, however flamboyant and eccentric it was, he liked it. She seemed like a tell-it-like-it-is kind of girl, and he liked those ones better than the fake ones who didn't reveal their true personality until you were stuck with them.

And as Alice continued on with her story - and the car continued down the busy streets, reaching closer and closer to their destination, to his home for the next three months - Edward got his first feel of adrenaline. The first in a long time.

* * *

Thanks so much! First few chapters are characterizations, then lust and love and lemons and drama and the odd man out. Please review!


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